1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vertebral reconstruction and vertebral body replacement and more particularly, to a vertebral fixation plate assembly for fixation of thoracic or lumber vertebrae that improves bone fusion efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vertebral reconstruction and vertebral body replacement commonly uses a vertebral spacer to treat (substitute for) vertebrae destruction or vertebral body damaged by tumor. By means of surgical operation to remove disease vertebral body, a vertebral spacer is inserted into the resection site, and then a fixation device is affixed to the front or lateral side of the vertebral column with pedicle screws to enhance the stability, enabling the vertebral column to resume its function, reducing the patient's pain, and assisting recovery.
Regular fixation devices for this purpose include two types, the fixation plate and the fixation rod. However, these two different types of fixation devices are still not satisfactory in function in clinical practice due to the drawbacks: (1) A fixation plate type fixation device wears quickly with use and may be loosed from the bone screws due to thin and weak border edge around each mounting hole, affecting fixation stability and bone fusion progress; (2) A fixation rod type fixation device requires installation of two sets of transverse links to achieve the desired strength and stiffness, complicating the implantation procedure. Further, conventional fixation devices have no means for carrying autograft bone, bone allograft or biomedical bone substitute to facilitate bone fusion.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a vertebral fixation device that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.